Star Wars as Church History Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Paper

Star Wars as Church HistoryKoenrad Kuiper, writing in the Journal of Popular Culture in the mid 1980s suggests that the Star Wars trilogy creates and recreates imperial myths which serve to sustain imperial culture (77). He goes on to contend that the Empire of George Lucass long ago and far away world recreate these myths for us now as, essentially, a form of social control. Since Kuiper was writing, however, we have been graced with the first in the Star Wars series, The shadow Menace. The Phantom Menace has opened to tepid reviews and the expected box-office success. Its staying-power has been perhaps a bit disappointing for all at Lucas charter, but the film has definitely made a cultural impact. Interesting in light of Kuipers thesis is that this latest addition to the Star Wars mythology concerns itself with two beginnings the beginning of the evil Empire of the other terzetto movies, and the beginning of Anakin Skywalker, have to Luke Skywalker and the future Darth Vade r. The genesis of both the Empire and Darth Vader in one film is more than coincidence. Rather than Star Wars sustaining an imperial myth, the new film argues for an interpretation that the series, taken as a whole, represents an intricate commentary on the history of Christianity, from its pure beginnings to its ultimate purchaseion as a quasi-political entity controlling a good deal of Europe. The first and most striking suggestion of this is the fact that Anakin Skywalkers is a virgin birth. When Qui Gon Jinn, the Jedi master who trains Obi-Wan Kenobi, asks Anakins mother who the young prodigys father is, she responds There is no father. Young Skywalker is later described by Jinn as a virgence a virgin birth. The conclusion that ... ...ica is there reason to believe that the ghostly Right will become that new Empire? Will the new war for liberation be right now in a galax quite close to home? Addendum It has been brought to my attention by many an astute reader that Da rth Maul should more accurately symbolize King Herod. They argon correct, of course--an oversight I shouldve caught. I appreciate the input, and should take the opportunity to note that the Darth Maul/Herod connection still works symbolically, representing the pathway toward an institutionalized and therefore corrupt Christianity. Works Cited Kuiper, Koenraad. Star Wars An Imperial Myth. Journal of Popular Culture 21.2 (Spring) 1988. 77-86. Lucas, George. The Empire Strikes Back. Lucasfilm Ltd. 1980 The Phantom Menace. Lucas. 1999. Return of the Jedi. Lucas. 1983. Star Wars. Lucas. 1977.